Freezing device



Nov. 6, 1956 R. R. CANDOR FREEZING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 15, 1954 INVENTOR. Robe'n R. Condor Attorney,

R. R. CANDOR FREEZING DEVICE Nov. 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1954 v INVENTOR.

Robert R. Candor y A Hamey.

United States Patent FREEZING DEVICE Robert R. Candor, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application May 13, 1954, Serial No. 429,591

2 Claims. (Cl. 62-1085) 7 This invention relates to freezing devices of the ice tray and grid type employed in freezing compartments of houshold refrigerators.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved freezing device of the type including a tray member, a cover member therefor and a grid member Within the tray member for the production of ice blocks for table use in chilling drinks and/or the like.

Another object of my invention'is to provide a freezing device of the covered ice tray and grid type wherein a hand operated force multiplying means or lever for moving walls of the grid relative to one another to loosen ice blocks therefrom is also utilized to move the tray cover relative to the grid and tray to break an ice bond between the cover and the tray prior to moving the grid walls.

A further object of my invention is to break up or divide the force applied to an operating means for a covered ice tray and movable grid wall structure therein into a plurality of continued lesser forces which break the bond between the tray and its cover, between tray walls and ice blocks bonded thereto and between ice blocks and walls of the grid structure in succession to simplify and ease the task of harvesting ice blocks from a covered freezing device.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an ice block freezing device with an inflexible one-piece cover member and a single lever means the initial movement of which engages or bears against the cover of the device and slides the same relative to the traythereof prior to further or continued movement of the lever to break ice blocks from walls of the tray and for moving wail'sof the grid structure associated with the tray .to loosen or free ice blocks'from the grid.

in carrying out the foregoing objects a more specific ob ect of my invention is to provide means for moving walls of a movable walled grid structure in a covered ice tray of an ice block freezing device which means has an operating handle extending through the cover and normally lying in a depression provided therein whereby the lever does not interfere with or obstruct the stacking and supporting of two or more of the devices upon one 'another.

Further objects and advantages ofth'e present invention will be apparent from the following description; reference being had to the accompanying 'drawings wherein a preferred form of'the invention is clearly'shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the device and is taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view through the device similar to Figure 2 showing further movement of the force multiplying means to break the bond between the tray and ice blocks in thegrid;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of covered freezing device;

Figure 7 is an end view of the device disclosed in Figure 6 showing'a'cam handle arrangement thereon for breaking an ice bond between the device anda support therefor; and

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure '7showing the cam handle moved into a position to elevate the cover of the device relative to the tray thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, for illustrating the present invention, I show in Figure 1 thereof a covered freezing device including a pan or tray member having a movable walled grid structure or member removably disposed therein and provided with a substantially inflexible one-piece cover member movably interlocked therewith. The pan or tray member represented by the numeral 15 (see Figure 2) is preferably stamped or drawn from sheet aluminum alloy and has a flat bottom wall 16, slightly outwardly inclined side walls 17 (see Figure 4) and end walls 18, At least one end wall 18 is outwardly inclined at a greater angle than at the side walls 17 so that ice blocks can be readily slid or cammed upwardly along this wall in a manner and for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The top of walls of pan or tray 15 are rolled over as at 19 to provide a rim about the tray.

The grid member removably disposed in tray 15 is of a construction similar to the grid structure disclosed in force multiplying means for moving the cover relative to the tray and particularly prior to the timethis' means moves walls of the grid structure of a freezing device to release ice blocks from compartments therein provided by walls of the grid. 2

Removable grid niember-orst'ructure 20 has two longitudinal partitions or partitioningwalls, 21, preferably diverging apart slightly from top to bottom (see Figure 4) and each so spaced as to fit snugly within the tray 1'5. At the top edge of each longitudinal partition 21 a relatively short in height actuating bar or strip 22 is arranged to slide lengthwise back and forth along the longitudinal partitions 21 for a purpose to behereinafter explained. A plurality of cross-partition walls '23 are loosely mountedupon the longitudinal partitions 21 at their lower edges and upon the actuating bars T22 adjacent their upper edges in such manner .that these cross or transverse walls are interlocked with the longiv tudinal partitions 21 .andjmay be swung or tilted forwardly and'rearwardly relativeto the stationary longi- Figure 1 is atop plan'view of my improved covered freezing device; I

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of thedevice taken on the line 2-2 of Figure l with elements thereof in normal freezing position; I I

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figure 2'showing an initial movement of a force'multiplying means associated; with the device having f-brokenl' the bond between the cover and tray thereof;

tudinal partitions 21 when the actuating bars 22 are movedlongitudinally back and forth. It is to be noted that the transverse walls 23 or grid 20 are' normally inclined with respect to the verticaland when tilted or swung toward the vertical. the ice block compartments formed thereby are enlarged. The parts 21,- 22 and .23 of grid 20 maybe interlocked together for ino ve- -ment relative to one another in the mannerqde'scribed yin theFreipatentaboyereferred to. A ften'these'jparts are assembled in movable interlocked relation to one round holes or openings 29 provided therein.

another a substantially inflexible one-piece metal cover, generally represented by the reference character 25, is movably interlocked to the grid structure 20. Cover member 25 is adapted to extend continuously over tray and has an end and two sides provided witha curved or rolled flange 26 which normally engages and nests on the top rim 19 of the sides and one end of tray 15. The other end of cover 25 is provided with a fiat flange 27 so as to permit lateral movement of the cover relative to tray 15 as will be described hereinafter. Cover member 25 also has a depressoin 23 formed therein. This depression 28 in addition to receiving and supporting the operating handle of a force multiplying means or lever, to be presently described, below the top surface of cover 25 is so shaped as to also serve to increase the structural strength and prevent bowing and/ or deformation of the cover particularly at or adjacent to a pair of Cover 25 has a metal bracket 31 secured to the under side thereof, in any suitable manner, and provided with legs 32 the ends 33 of which are bent and positioned in a slot 34 provided in the rear end portion of each actuating bar 22 of grid 20. A cast metal or the like forked lever 35 provided with a pair of round in cross section tines 36 and a handle portion 37 is adapted to be pivotally mounted upon grid member and forms the force multiplying means for the freezing device operated in a manner to be presently described. The end of each tine 36 is provided with a hole which receives a pin or rivet 38 (see Figure 4) fitted in a hole provided in each of the spaced apart longitudinal partitions 21. The tines 36 on lever 35 are, after the bent ends 33 of bracket 31 have been inserted in the slots 34,, passed through the openings 29 in cover 25, then the pins 38 are pushed through the holes in partitions 21 and through the holes in the end of the tines whereafter these pins are riveted over to mount the lever 35 upon grid structure 20 for pivotal movement relative thereto. The projection of tines 36 through the openings 29 in cover together with the bracket 31 interlocks the cover member to the grid at several points for movement relative thereto and for removal from the, tray 15 along with grid structure 20. Walls of the holes 29 in cover 25 are bent or curled over to strengthen the cover in the vicinity of these holes. The walls of round holes 29 snugly embrace the round tines 36 or lever so that one-piece cover member 25 substantially seals the interior of tray 15 when its portions 26 and 27 engage the rim 19 on the tray. The cover 25 provides an effective closure for the freezing device in preventing a foreign matter from entering water in the tray to be frozen and in preventing this water from absorbing odors from foods stored in a food compartment of a refrigerator provided with a cooling uni tor evaporator with which .the present freezing device is to be associated. The

round tines 36 on lever 35 .are shaped to provide cam means for engaging the end-most transverse grid wall as will be presently described.

After water in the tray 15 of the present device is frozen the device is removed from the cooling unit or evaporator of i a refrigerating system associated with a refrigerator cabinet. The cover 25 of a freezing device of the type herein disclosed ordinarily becomes icebonded to the tray 15 thereof and this bond must be broken prior to harvesting ice blocks from the tray and grid 20. In the present disclosure I provide a single force multiplying means for breaking the bond between the cover 25 and tray 15 and for also removing or freeing ice blocks from the tray and grid 20. The removed freezing device is placed on a flat table or the like top surface and handle portion 37 of lever 35 is grasped by the hand and moved upwardly. It is to be noted that the depression 28 in cover 25 is'of such width as to readily permit fingers of ones hand to engage the handle portion 37 of lever 35. Initial upward movement of lever 35 about its pivotal mounting, pins 38, on the grid causes the upper portion of tines 36 on the lever to engage and bear against the wall of holes or openings 29 in cover 25 thus the tines 36 move or earn the cover lengthwise or laterally of tray 15 (see Figure 3) to break the bond between the tray rim 19 and the flanges 26 and 27 on cover 25. The present arrangement is such that this initial movement of lever 35 may be carried out prior to and without the tines 36 engaging and moving the end-most transverse grid Wall adjacent these tines. While cover 25 is shown in Figure 3 moved relative to tray 15 it is to be noted that bent wall camming portion of tines 36 have not as yet moved the end most transverse grid wall 23. Continued upward swinging movement of lever 35 then causes the curved wall camming surface of tines 36 to engage and move or tilt the end-most transverse grid wall 23 toward the vertical. This tilting or swinging of the end-most cross wall 23 entirely loosens the three end-most ice blocks from both the tray 15 and grid 20 and thereafter causes these loosened ice blocks to slide upwardly along the inclined tray end wall 13 (see Figure 5). This movement of these end-most ice blocks occurs prior to the time actuating bars 22 are engaged and moved longitudinally by the tilting of end-most transverse grid wall 23. The camming action of these end-most ice blocks as they slide upwardly along the end wall 18 of tray 15 is utilized to break the bond between all the other ice blocks bonded to grid 20 and walls of tray 15 and to elevate the grid together with ice blocks therein relative to the tray as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings. The grid structure 20 together with ice blocks bonded to Walls thereof may now be removed upwardly of tray 15 or the lever can be further moved while the grid is in the raised position as shown in Figure 5 to release other ice blocks from the grid to be received by the tray. Further or continued swinging movement of lever 35 then causes actuating bars 22 to be engaged and moved, by the connection of end-most tranverse wall therewith, lengthwise or longitudinally with respect to the partitions 21. The notches in actuating bars 22 are progressively wider from front to rear of the device and successively engage and swing or tilt the remaining transverse grid walls one after the other forwardly relative to partitions 21 toward the vertical. Thus groups of three ice blocks are successively loosened from the grid structure 20 at a time until all ice blocks are freed therefrom and fall into the tray 15 or other receptacle placed beneath the grid structure after its removal from tray 15. Obviously the interlocked connection of cover 25 with grid structure 20 causes this cover to be elevated therewith and to be removable with the grid as a unit from tray 15 so that freed ice blocks in the tray may be harvested therefrom.

In order to move walls 23 of grid 20 back to their normal ice block compartment forming position against the stops 65 provided on partitions 21 (see Figure 2) and to move cover 25 back to its normal position, so as to permit the grid and cover to be replaced in and on respectively the tray 15, lever 35 is swung in an opposite direction. This reversed swinging movement of lever 35 causes the back part of tines 36 thereon to engage a laterally bent car 60 provided on each actuating bar 22 (see Figures 2, 3 and 4) whereby the bars are shifted rearwardly to move the grid walls 23 against the stops 65. As lever 35 is swung back to its normal position of rest, within the depression 28 in cover 25, its tines 36 bear against the wall of holes or openings 29 in cover 25 to thus shift the cover to its normal position to again ready the same for engagement with the top of tray 15 when the removable grid and cover are to be placed in and on the tray respectively. Thus a positive return of the grid walls and tray cover to their normal position is provided. The manner of providing the stops 65 and the bent car 60 on the grid structure is fully described in the Frei patent hereinbefore referred to.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings I show a modified freezing device comprising a tray 50, a grid structure 51 disposed therein and a one-piece metal cover 52 on and extending over tray 50. In this form of device the grid structure may be of any conventional and wellknown construction including a lever 53 for moving walls of the grid relative to one another to release ice blocks therefrom. Such a grid structure is fully described in the patent to F. W. Gerard et al No. 2,313,932 dated March 16, 1943. A handle 54 pivotally mounted upon a downwardly directed extension 55 of the tray rim at one end of tray 50 has a cam member 56 rotatably carried thereby. The axis of cam member 56 is off-set relative to the pivotal mounting of handle 54 and when this handle is rotated in one direction the cam member 56 engages a support, in or on an evaporator of a refrigerating system, and represented by the line 57 inv Figure 7 for the freezing device to elevate the device relative to the support for breaking an ice bond therebetween. Rotation of handle 54, in a direction opposite the one direction of rotation thereof, also causes cam member 56 to engage a lip portion 58 provided on cover 52 (see Figure 6) and extending over the tray rim for raising cover 52 relative to the tray to break an ice bond between the cover and the top of tray 50 (see Figure 8). A camming arrangement of this type and for the pur pose disclosed is shown and fully described in the patent to R. S. Gaugler No. 2,259,021 dated May 6, 1952. Cover 52 is then removed from tray 50 to provide access to the lever 53 on grid 51. Lever 53 may thereafter be actuated to loosen ice blocks from the tray and grid in the usual or conventional manner.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that I have provided an improved covered freezing device and have provided a force multiplying means or lever to break a bond between a cover and tray thereof, to free ice blocks and a grid from a tray and to loosen ice blocks from the grid. In my improved arrangement the total force required to complete an ice block harvesting operation of a covered freezing device is divided or broken up into a plurality of successive or continuous lesser forces to case such operation. Also by disposing the handle portion of the operating lever below the top surface of the cover of the device and in a depression formed in the cover similar companion freezing devices may be supported one upon another in stacked form in a freezing compartment of a refrigerator cabinet. The interlocking of the cover for the present freezing device with the grid structure thereof renders the cover removable from the tray along with the grid as a unit.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows.

1. A freezing device comprising in combination, an ice tray, a grid within said tray, said grid including a plurality of walls interlocked together for relative movement therebetween and dividing the interior of said tray into compartments in which water is to be frozen into ice blocks, force multiplying means on said device, a substantially inflexible one-piece cover separate and distinct from said grid walls and from said force multiplying means, said cover being unattached to said tray and extending continuously thereover in engagement with all four upright sides thereof to provide a closure for the compartments in said device, said force multiplying means being operable to initially bear against said separate one-piece cover for loosening the same from and moving it relative to said tray without moving said grid walls and to thereafter shift certain of said grid walls with respect to others thereof to break an ice bond between ice blocks and said tray and said grid, and said grid, said cover and said force multiplying means being interlocked together as a unit whereby said unattachment of the cover and tray serves to provide for removal of said unit upwardly out of said tray.

2. A freezing device comprising in combination, an ice tray, a grid within said tray, said grid including a plurality of walls interlocked together for relative movement therebetween and dividing the interior of said tray into compartments in which water is to be frozen into ice blocks, a lever on said device, a substantially inflexible one-piece cover separate and distinct from said grid walls and from said lever, said cover being unattached to said tray and extending continuously thereover with its edges engaging the upright sides thereof to provide a closure for the compartments in said device, said lever being pivotally mounted upon said grid for movement relative thereto and extending through said separate onepiece cover, the initial movement of said lever engaging and sliding said cover laterally of said device relative to said tray to loosen the cover therefrom without moving said grid walls, continued movement of said lever thereafter shifting certain of said grid walls with respect to others thereof to break an ice bond between ice blocks and said tray and said grid, and said grid, said cover and said lever being interlocked together as a unit whereby said unattachment of the cover and tray serves to provide for removal of said unit upwardly out of said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,859,228 Berry May 17, 1932 2,260,363 Carney Oct. 28, 1941 2,444,789 Reeves July 6, 1948 2,574,663 Sampson Nov. 13, 1951 2,642,727 Frei June 23, 1953 

